In American Prometheus, Kai Bird and Martin J.

Sherwin delve deep into J.

Robert Oppenheimer's life and deliver a thorough and devastatingly sad biography of the man whose very name has come to represent the culmination of 20th century physics and the irrevocable soiling of science by governments eager to exploit its products.

Rich in historical detail and personal narratives, the book paints a picture of Oppenheimer as both a controlling force and victim of the mechanisms of power.

By the time the story reaches Oppenheimer's fateful Manhattan Project work, readers have been swept along much as the project's young physicists were by fate and enormous pressure.

The authors allow the scientists to speak for themselves about their reactions to the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, avoiding any sort of preacherly tone while revealing the utter, horrible ambiguity of the situation.

For instance, Oppenheimer wrote in a letter to a friend, "The thing had to be done," then, "Circumstances are heavy with misgiving." Many biographies of Oppenheimer end here, with the seeds of his later pacifism sown and the dangers of mixing science with politics clearly outlined.

For more information about the title American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, read the full description at Amazon.com, or see the following related books:

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Authors: Kai Bird, Martin J. Sherwin

Publisher: Vintage

Date: Apr. 11, 2006

List Price:

$17.95

Discount Price:

$9.98

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